


Evermore

by QueenForADay



Category: Beauty and the Beast (2017)
Genre: Drabbles, F/M, Ficlet Collection, Fluff, Post-Movie, curse lifted
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-26
Updated: 2017-04-14
Packaged: 2018-10-10 23:24:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,062
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10449885
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueenForADay/pseuds/QueenForADay
Summary: A collection of drabbles + tumblr requests about Adam & Belle's life after the curse is lifted.[Note from Admin|Author - Ratings & Warnings depend on chapter.]





	1. Fixing Up - Adam/Belle (G)

**Author's Note:**

> Before their lives can start in the palace, Belle sets out to fix up a few things.

The snowstorms are coming, something that’s felt through the entire palace. Even with the hearths in every room, the large hallways are starting to get cold. Belle gathers the blankets in her arms and continues her walk to the main living room. A soft glow of the fire spills out into the hallway through the open door.

Stepping inside, she smiles at the sight of her husband reclining in a chaise pulled near the fire; book in hand, long hair pulled into a messy bun with stray strands falling down on to his face.

She drapes a quilted blanket over his shoulders. “It’s getting chilly,” she notes, casting a quick glance to the large bay window that opens out on to the large garden. Specks of snow gently sway down to the ground, touching the balcony’s bannister and melting away. It won’t take long. Winter is finally settling in.

He hums, noting the page number and closing the book. The book is placed on a nearby table and Belle sits down on the chaise beside her husband. “Cogsworth says that the snow will come soon,” he notes and she settles beside him, pulling the blanket over her own shoulders. The large hearth is still roaring. The only light source in the room, they snuffed out the other candles and lanterns in the living room.

She rests her head against his shoulder. “I’ve been thinking,” she says simply, looking up at Adam. He raises an eyebrow at her. “I’ve been thinking about the villagers,” she clarifies.

“What about them?”

“Cogsworth says that this winter will be tough,” she says, remembering having an extensive conversation with the head of the house-staff in the kitchen earlier in the day, “and the villagers don’t have a means of getting through the winter without help.”

She remembers spending every winter beating back blustering winds from entering the cracks in the walls. She remembers making every scrap of food count. The bakers and the merchants had to spend their money gathered that year importing goods from other towns and cities just so the village could live through another winter.

And she looks around at the life she has now. Roaring hearths in every room, enough quilted blankets to cover the floor space of the castle twice-over, and enough food to feed the country’s armies, and probably their enemies too.

It’s too much for her, her husband and their small family.

Adam holds her close to him as he considers what she’s implying. “I’m sure we could have a cart of supplies sent over,” he says.

He’s never considered her to be what she fears the most – being his Queen, a pretty trinket to have draped over his arm at dances, to show off in front of other people of importance. She’s told him that it’s not who she is. He’s never considered her to be that. She’s still what she has always been to him.

\---

When LeFou visited days after the curse was lifted, when they had all danced in the grand ballroom, she pulls Adam closer to her. “Do you see them?”

He looks over his shoulder to see. “He seems happy,” he notes, watching LeFou and Stanley continue to stand close to each other, broad smiles on both of their faces.

Adam interlinks his fingers with his wife’s. “What do you propose?” he asks, watching the pair from across the ballroom.

Belle wraps her other arm around Adam’s, hugging it to her. “There _is_ that estate a few fields away. I believe there’s no one living there now…” a small smile lingers at the corner of her mouth.

Adam nods and gestures to the two men. “Consider it theirs, then.”

It takes a number of weeks to get the estate up and running again, but when it is, she doesn’t hear the end of apologies sent to her by LeFou. She takes his hands in hers. “It’s alright,” she smiles, turning around to help load the final crate of supplies from the cart, “it’s behind us now.”

“You were too good for him,” LeFou says plainly as he lifts the crate from her.

She folds her arms over her chest. “So were you.”

\---

Belle tugs her coat tighter around herself when a stray gust of cold wind sweeps through the garden. It rustles the shrubs and bushes, shaking the settled snow from the branches and dumping it on the ground.

She oversaw the last of the carts off that morning Laden with food, hay, blankets and fuel, she and Cogsworth sent the drivers on their way to the village. The worst of the snow hasn’t arrived yet, but with heavy grey clouds looming over the nearby mountains made her worry. The snow would be heavy this year. But at least her home had supplies now that would alleviate the pressure winter brought with it.

“Madame!”

She spins around and sees Lumiere walking towards her. “Good morning

“ _Bonjour mon cher_ ,” he smiles brightly at her.

“Where’s Plumette?”

“Training in the new maids, I presume,” he smiles faintly at the mention of his lover, “but you’re the reason why I’m here.”

She takes Lumiere’s arm in hers. “Alright then,” she walks them through the snow-laden garden, “what is it _mon amie_?”

“We’ve been talking, the staff I mean, and well,” Lumiere waves his hand, trying to put his words together, “and we love the affect you have on the Master. It’s…It has been a while since goodness has been in the palace, and with you and the Master being married now-”

“-I understand Lumiere,” Belle nods. They loop back through the arches, bare now that the flowers and vines have wilted for the winter.

“We look forward to having you live here, _mon amie_ ,” Lumiere says when they leave the gardens behind and walk towards the back of the palace. He brings her hand up and kisses her gloved knuckles. “You’ll do marvellous things here: we’re sure of that.”


	2. Adam/Belle - Quirks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tumblr Prompt: Anon Submitted: ‘for your batb fic, which i absolutely adore :) – adam finds that certain beastly quirks have yet to leave him after transforming back (i’ll leave that to your creative discretion) and feels insecure, belle helps abate his fears. hurt/comfort or fluffy ? thanks so much <3′

She sees how hard he tries: how every faltered step is because of his boot catching something, and not the getting used to balancing as a human again. How he reaches for anything, from cutlery to books to writing utensils, and takes a moment to stare at his hand: his _human_ hand.

That’s not to say that she doesn’t see the things he’s kept from him. His ears prick at the slightest of sounds. She sees him running faster than the others out in the gardens, hardly breaking a sweat when he eventually laps them. Even when a winter illness settled in the neighbouring villages, and when most of the palace were struck with it, he remained healthy.

She wakes slowly one morning. Dawn is settling in with the sky marbled with purples and reds. There’s a slight chill in the morning air, something that sweeps into the bedroom through the opened balcony doors.

She turns around to face her husband.

“I told you to close the balcony doors,” she admonishes.

With eyes still closed, he reaches out blindly and pulls her closer to him. He hums into her hair. “ _You_ were complaining about it being warm last night.”

“You went to bed after I did.”

“No,” he chuckles, brushing his lips over her forehead, “we went to bed at the same time: you _fell asleep_ before I did.”

She looks up at him, reaching up to sweep a strand of hair out of his face. “Arguing for the sake of arguing?”

He catches her hand and places kisses on the back of her hand and on her palm.

One thing she’s noticed is how warm he is. The summer days are blistering hot with no winds to sweep through the gardens. The dead heat is sweltering. But in the nights, the nights are bitterly cold. The skies are clear and it’s a chance to look up at the stars, either on the balcony or in the gardens, but it’s cold.

Even though they have their own sides in their bed, they always seem to wake up entangled in each other.

Belle rests her head under her husband’s chin. “Do you have anything of importance to do today?”

He thinks for a moment. “No, I don’t think so.”

“Excellent,” she smiles, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist, “I think a lounging day is in order.”

One day though, she sees something linger in his eyes when they’re in the library.

He’s looking out one of the lancet windows that looks out on to the main courtyard. She notes the page number of her book and places it on a nearby table.

She nudges his side with her foot. “You seem lost in thought.”

Adam shakes his head and goes back to his book. “Nothing my love,” he gives her a smile.

It’s a faked one, she knows, one that only lingers on his lips because he knows she’s staring at him.

She stands up from her chair, pulling her shawl around her shoulders. “Alright,” she sighs, striding across the room. He doesn’t have a time to say a thing before she sits down on his lap and throws an arm around his shoulders. “What’s going on up there?” she touches a finger to his temple.

He sighs, leaning forward slightly to put his own book on the table next to him. She watches him for a moment. The way his eyes dart means he’s thinking about his words.

“My mind is ruthless when it comes to…unhappy thoughts.”

She threads her fingers through his hair, tucking some of it behind his ear. “Care to share these ‘unhappy thoughts’ with me?”

He looks at her for a moment. “They…they make me think about us: specifically us when I was _him_ …”

He pauses for a moment and swallows.

“They make me analyse everything.”

“Like?” she prompts gently.

“If…if you’re in love with me, or him.”

It’s her turn to pause. She takes his face with both of her hands and makes him look at her. “You are you, my love. You had a different body, but who I fell in love with is still here with me, looking at me with those gorgeous blue eyes,” she rests her forehead against his.

“My mind doubts,” he says lowly, “it’s full of demons.”

He pulls her closer to him, almost making sure that she’s real and still here with him. “It may be an idiotic question,” he says, “but are you sure you’re happy here, with me?”

“You silly man, of course I am,” she smiles and kisses his cheek.

She stands up from him, turning to grab his hand and pull him up. “Now, it’s a beautiful day and I think a walk is in order.”


	3. Adam/Belle - Summer Swim

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tumblr Prompt: Nursemz87 Requested: ‘ Adam panicking about Belle being out on the road by herself on horseback after he’s told the carriage broke down at the village and her not being directly back at the castle. Him going out into the woods on horseback himself only to find her at a stream nearby cooling off from the hot summer air. Cue some quality alone time. (Entirely up to you on rating level but I’m thinking more M than Teen)’

Cogsworth thumbs his pocket-watch open and checks the time. He snaps it shut again and stuffs it back into his breast pocket, looking over his shoulder back to the opened front door of the palace. Lumiere stands beside him, arms folded over his chest. “How does one lose a princess?” he directs at the head of the house-staff. The withering look he gets from his friend should be enough to make him laugh, but with the severity of the situation looming over his head, he doesn’t even crack a smile.

“The carriage should have been back almost ten minutes ago,” Cogsworth mutters. “Alfred is one of our best carriage drivers: he’s never late!”

Lumiere huffs. “We’ll have to send someone out. I’ll tell someone to get one of the horses saddled-”

“-Thinking of going on a ride Lumiere?” a voice sounds from behind the two men. They both spin around to see the prince stepping down on to the cobblestone courtyard. He gestures to the sun perched high in the clear sky. “It’s a beautiful day for it.”

Cogsworth straightens. “It certainly is, Master!” he gets out briskly. It earns a raised eyebrow from Adam, but says nothing of it. Dressed in summer-wear, a light white shirt, brown dress pants and boots, he rolls up the sleeves of his shirt.

“I might join you for a ride through the meadow if you’re going,” he says, “I’m desperately trying to get away from all of these nobles requesting things from me.”

Lumiere scoffs. “More marriage proposals, Master?”

Adam nods stiffly. “The news of my current marriage doesn’t sit well with the nobility in the cities.”

Lumiere shrugs a shoulder. “That’s for them to decide. You still have your inheritance and your people, and a wife that loves you. Those in Paris and Notre-Dame can keep their daughters and selfish interests to themselves.”

Adam smirks. “Thank you Lumiere.”

He claps a hand on the butler’s shoulder. “Now, I was thinking a ride through the backwoods; does that sound good to you?”

Lumiere shares a look with Cogsworth.

Adam glances between the two men. “There’s something you’re not telling me,” he says, folding his arms over his chest.

Cogsworth stiffens slightly. “Well, you see Master,” he starts, reaching into his coat pocket and pulling out his watch. He has a quick glance at it. “A carriage left the palace today-”

“-Yes, Belle wanted to visit the village,” Adam nods. He frowns slightly. “ _When_ did it leave?”

“Just before dawn, Master,” Lumiere says, looking down at the cobblestones, “Alfred said that he would return at midday-”

Adam’s eyes widen slightly. “Where are they then?”

“We,” Cogsworth looks to Lumiere and back at the Prince, “We don’t know, Prince.”

Adam doesn’t say anything, but turns on his heels and stalks towards the stables at the back of the palace. Lumiere rushes after him, barking a stiff order at Cogsworth to stay at the front of the palace in case the carriage comes back.

“My lord, I’m sure the _mademoiselle_ is perfectly fine!” Lumiere says quickly. In the stables, Adam barks an order at one of the stable boys to saddle his horse. “Everything will be fine, I’m sure of it!”

“I should have gone with them,” Adam mutters to himself, brushing past Lumiere when the stable hand leads out his horse. Lumiere reaches forward to grab on to his horse’s reins.  

“I’m sure she’s fine, Master.” There’s a certain sincerity in his eyes. Adam doesn’t hear him though. The prince hauls himself up on to his horse’s back and is gone with a flourish.

 

Hooves thunder against the forest ground, trees and brush flying past in a single blur. The sun is still sitting high in the sky, so at least he has daylight to work from.

He slows his horse into a sombre trot. A thin sheen of sweat covers his horse’s neck. He’s sure that he can feel his friend’s heart thundering through him. Adam pats his horse’s neck. “We’re close Balius,” he mumbles, looking through the gaps in the trees. He spots a small gleam of water. _The lake_ , he thinks. He frowns slightly. _She…she wouldn’t…_

He turns Balius towards the small road leading to the lake. It’s sheltered away from the forest, hidden behind masks of shrubs and brush. It’s not easily noticeable from the main road.

It takes some manoeuvring before Balius can step through towards the lake. Adam pulls on the reins and dismounts, throwing the reins over his horse’s head and tying him to a low hanging branch nearby. “I’ll be right back.”

It takes him a few minutes to find where Belle is. The water laps at her feet as she sits by the lake’s edge. He approaches her slowly, his boots barely making a sound against the lush grass. He clears his throat as he gets closer to her.

Belle looks over to him.

“ _Bonjour_ ,” she smiles lazily.

“You were supposed to be home hours ago,” he replies, toeing off his boots and sitting behind Belle. The end of her plain dress is wet from where it touches the water’s edge. She doesn’t seem to care at all, though. Adam reflects slightly back on his past life: on the ladies that wouldn’t have stepped a foot outside for fear of their dresses becoming soiled.

Belle looks over her shoulder to him. “I’m sorry, I got distracted on the way back.”

He gives her a look. “Obviously.”

She turns around to face him, taking a hand in hers. “You know that I can handle myself.”

“I know you can; it doesn’t stop me worrying though.” Adam lifts her hand to his mouth and presses a kiss to her knuckles. A faint blush creeps on to her cheeks. One always does when he kisses her hand. He’d noticed it at the coronation, at their wedding, and every time in-between. She slides her hand from his and looks back out on to the lake. It’s not the biggest one in the province, but it does connect the forest and the farming fields together.

It’s quiet, is the second thing he notices. The palace is never truly quiet. Even in the middle of the night, there is always the night staff fluttering around the halls. But out here, with only the occasional singing of birds or the whistling of wind, it’s silent.

Belle suddenly gets to her feet. She looks at him for a second, before turning to the water and starts running into it. “Belle!” Adam scrambles to his feet. She’s only knee-high in the water, but her dress drags along the top of the water. He can’t help but let out a sigh. “What are you doing?”

“Come swim with me,” she smiles. She splashes some water his way, getting a few drops on to his shirt. He sighs, knowing that she’s not going to move unless he does what she says. With his boots off, he steps into the water, and in contrast to the warm summer day, it’s a welcomed cold. He takes a few more steps until he’s knee-deep in the lapping water.

Belle walks towards him, a soft smile on her lips.

She suddenly reaches for his arms and pulls; managing to throw him passed her and into the water. When he resurfaces, she’s doubled over laughing. “You, _mademoiselle_ , are going to regret that,” he growls, lurching for her and wrapping his arms around her waist. He drags her with him back into the water.  

Her shrill laugh is lost underneath the water.

Balius regards them with a look and goes back to grazing peacefully.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOTE: I am no longer accepting BATB prompts. Anyone who has sent them will have theirs finished and posted, but from now on I'm not accepting them.

**Author's Note:**

> My tumblr: yourqueenforayear.tumblr.com 
> 
> Adam + Belle requests are being taken only (for now)
> 
> Rating Guide: General (G); Teen (T); Mature (M); Explicit (E)


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